Prairie Hills Journal - Harrison County Conservation

Prairie Hills
Journal
Fall/Winter
2014/2015
Volume 23 Issue 1
The Prairie Hills
Journal is a
bi-annual
publication of the
Harrison County
Conservation
Board.
Printed versions are
distributed free of
charge to residents
in Harrison County.
Current and past
editions of the
newsletter are also
available online at
our website.
Printed on
recycled paper!
Department Planning-The Next Big Step
By Scott Nelson, Director
Have you ever heard the saying: The best time to plant a tree is 20 years ago…OR
today? That philosophy is a reality for the Nature Center/Office and Maintenance
complex for the Harrison County Conservation Board (HCCB).
This past winter, the HCCB has been discussing the future of the headquarters,
which was constructed in 1979. When it was built, it was leaps and bounds above
the previous building. There was plenty of room for equipment and the two full-time
staff at the time. Over the years, as the program grew, the building was remodeled,
expanded, and re-purposed many times over. But, you can’t change some things: we
are living out of a 35 year old pole building! Plus, the complex now has six full-time
people, one part-time, and up to three seasonal employees. AND, the size and number of pieces of equipment to help maintain the 18 areas with nearly 2,000 acres has
swelled to the point that there is not enough room to store them all under a roof.
While this is our home – we have outgrown it. Just like a family home, or a church,
or a school, or a jail, the time has come to start planning on something larger and
more conducive that will house the HCCB into the future.
In July, the first step to this reality started. The HCCB hired RDG Planning and Design to help facilitate a community and staff workshop to help us find out what the
role of a new Conservation Center is, its location, aesthetic sensibility, and program
needs, should be. To help staff and Board members, Key Community members were
invited to participate in a planning session. Special thanks go out to Dee Colwell,
Brent Olson, Kris Pauley, Walter Utman, Kim Nunez, Jeremy Butrick, Deb
Sprecker, Jami Sherer, Abby Nelson, and Larry King for taking time to share your
individual expertise. This all-day planning session was a huge success, and many
great ideas and thoughts were conversed between these great minds.
The idea behind this workshop was to gain an idea of what the public, staff, and
Board expect, need, want, and desire in a future Conservation Center. From that information, RDG will formulate a location, floor plan, and costs of such an endeavor.
The first two points are fun (plans and location), but the COST is always the scary
part! That is why we are working on this TODAY.
Continued on page 4.
Willow Lake now has recycling bins!
Nature News
Thanks Justin!
Arbor Day Open House
Kids’ Fishing Day
Justin Siefken of Woodbine created and donated metal art for the butterfly garden at
Willow Lake. He has displayed several
wood and metal art projects around Woodbine and his donation is greatly appreciated!
Thank You Abby!
Summer Camps
Abby Nelson of Woodbine volunteered
her time this summer to paint plaster replicas of amphibians and reptiles. She painted
a northern water snake, smooth green snake,
spade foot toad, painted turtle, leopard frog,
bullfrog, eastern milk snake, and hatching
snapping turtle! They will be displayed in
the Nature Encounter Center at Willow
Lake. Her artistic talents were greatly appreciated!
Naturalist/Park Ranger
Intern Jake Weber showing a turtle shell at the
summer library programs
“Conservation is the state of harmony between men and land.”-Aldo Leopold
Page 2
Fall/Winter Programs
October-January-March
Creepy Campground!
Friday, October 10th,
6-8 p.m.
Willow Lake Recreation
Area,
Woodbine
Nature Tots: I’m a Turkey!
Tuesday, October 21st,
6-7 p.m.
Willow Lake Recreation
Area,
Woodbine
Bring the kids to trick-or-treat in the campground from 6-7 p.m. Campers are encouraged to decorate their sites and hand out
candy, but it is not required. Come up to
the large shelter at 7 p.m. for a children’s
movie and a fireside snack! Trick-or-treaters
are encouraged to bring a non-perishable
food item or personal hygiene item to fill
our canoe and paddle away hunger! All donations will be divided between the Harrison County Food Pantry and West Central
Community Action. In case of rain, program will be postponed to next night, Saturday, October 11th. Like us on Facebook at
Harrison County Conservation for the latest updates!
Nature Tots is for 3, 4, or 5 years old and
an adult. We’ll gobble like a turkey, do the
turkey pokey, and make a craft to take
home! There is no cost or registration.
Older siblings may attend program, but
only tots will be able to participate. Program will be held in the Nature Encounter
Center.
Harrison County Conservation Board
office will be closed Veteran’s Day,
Thanksgiving Day plus the day after,
Christmas Day, New Years Day, &
President’s Day
Caught on Camera!
Thursday, March 5th,
6-7 p.m.
Missouri Valley Public
Library,
Missouri Valley
Come and see pictures from Harrison
County Conservation Board’s trail camera
of wildlife around the county. Over the
years, we’ve caught both small and large
critters on our camera. This is a great program for all ages!
Coming in March…Hunter Safety Field Day
Date & Time TBA on Facebook
Hunter safety field day class is a mandatory for all persons 12 years of age who wish to
purchase a hunting license. If you are 18 years or older, you can take the class online and
you do not need to participate in a field Day. For more information visit IowaDNR.gov
“Like” the Harrison County Conservation on Facebook!
Page 3
Department Planning-The Next Step
Continued from page 1.
We know that it will take a while to secure the funding for this critical aspect of the HCCB program.
Every grant source will be explored. Budgeted dollars will be utilized. Donations will be accepted.
Every avenue will need to be looked into. That is why we need a plan, and we are on the road to making
this a reality – even if it takes us a while.
I have to tip my hat to a very special gentleman, who unknowingly was able to jump-start this little adventure. Jimmy King gave us a donation this past New Year. The “extra” that he included is what’s driving the planning for this Conservation Center. Without his generosity and love for families and children,
the idea of a new nature center/headquarters might only be that: an idea.
So, hang on, ask questions, give advice, and keep an eye out for more information
to follow!
The Harrison County Conservation Board would like to thank the 2014 Camp Hosts
for their time, support and dedication to our parks:
Roger Androy, Jim & Cheri Frey,
Morris Frey, Dennis & Pat Kuhlmann,
Ed & Jean Nelsen, Bruce & Kris Pauley,
Rodney & Ellen Plath and Jason & Jill Stacy
A Big Thank You To…
King, Scotch Pine, or White Pine
*Harrison County Secondary Roads for their
Stay in a deluxe cabin at Willow
Lake for Valentine’s day!
help installing the new playground
February 14th is on Saturday and it
would be a great surprise
for you and your sweetheart to a
stay in a cabin.
*Harrison County Landfill for donating the
recycling bin for Willow Lake
*Dee Thoms and Liz Lisk for volunteering
their time
Call now before their gone!
Online reservations for cabins and shelter houses starting 1/5/15
Page 4
Outdoor Recreation
Explore Harrison County!
Words Cannot Express
By Mike Weis, Park Ranger
It seems like every year and a half when my turn comes up for the article in the Prairie Hills Journal I
struggle to figure out what to write about. It’s not from lack of choices, but it seems to be the exact opposite, too many to choose from. I was tossing around all of the new happenings since my last article trying
to figure out which one I wanted to highlight: new boat ramp, new shower house and playground in the
campground expansion, King Cabin pond dredging, the resurgence of vegetation at Gleason-Hubel, the
new tornado siren at Schaben Park, the new brushsaw attachment and steel tracks for our Bobcat skid steer,
the new shelter house at Willow, and so many others that I don’t have room to list them all. After cataloging all of these projects, it reaffirmed how fortunate we are for all the before mentioned, considering they
have one thing in common; they were all at least partly, if not wholly, funded through grants and donations.
We at HCCB can’t say thank you enough times to fully express our appreciation for every donation or
grant we receive, but the real thanks come from the park users themselves. During weekend patrols I receive countless compliments on such things, and as much as I try to courier them to the appropriate entities, I fall short, well short. Now, I’m taking this opportunity to resolve my conscious at least, and attempt
to reiterate the many thanks for the generosities.
Willow Lake is fortunate to have some of the best water clarity, but it’s not by chance. When people value
it in astonishment, I feel fortunate to explain how grants have protected it through silt pond construction
and dredging, and shoreline armoring. Not to mention the new boat ramp providing easy access to those
going out in to enjoy it. The new showerhouse and playscape in the campground expansion couldn’t have
come to fruition so quickly without the assistance of a substantial donation. Campers love the privacy,
family style functionality, and safety it provides in the event of significant weather. The playscape is a
great change of pace from the traditional slides, and parents can enjoy the view of the lake while supervising their children. Campers have more piece of mind knowing there is now a tornado siren at Schaben
Park. Grants helped kickstart the Gleason-Hubel ridgetop restoration project, which we will continually
expand upon. The first year after the removal of ironwood and cedar trees at Gleason-Hubel, followed up
with a prescribed fire has resulted in an explosion of new herbaceous growth. Previously, a monoculture of
ironwood and cedar trees with bare soil underneath, sunlight can now reach the ground allowing the prairie
to return. Another grant provided us with steel tracks and a brushsaw attachment for our Bobcat skidsteer
to help us maintain all of our restoration efforts.
Again, I know I’ve still fallen short of delivering all of the thank yous for what I’ve mentioned and the
many others that I have not. Know that both staff and public users make sure they don’t go unappreciated.
We truly value it in a way that the words THANK YOU cannot express.
Download maps of our public hunting areas at HarrisonCountyParks.org
Page 5
Nature Encounters For Kids
2014 First Ever Welcome Center Intern
We were fortunate to have Emma Allen
join us for three
months assisting with many
projects including answering
visitor’s questions at the
Woodbine/Omaha 2nd Grade Pen Pal Field
front counter,
Trip to Willow Lake
cleaning our many display cases in the museum, helping at the farmers market and
working with our gift shop inventory. One
project Emma completed specifically for
Living Loess that all our visitors will be
able to enjoy for many months to come is a
museum scavenger hunt. Emma is a 2012
graduate of Woodbine High School and
graduated from Des Moines Area Community College this past May. She started at
Simpson College this fall to finish her deWoodbine Latchkey smelling the
gree in History and plans on working in a
flowers at Willow Lake!
museum once she graduates. We will miss
her and wish her all the best in her future
2014 Summer Interns
endeavors!
This year Jake Weber from Dunlap (left) and
Nate Thompson from Woodbine (right) were interns for Harrison County Conservation Board at
Willow Lake. Jake was the Naturalist/Park
Ranger intern and Nate was the Park Ranger intern. Their help during the busy summer not only
gives an extra hand to full-time staff, but also provides them with experiences in the conservation
field as a possible career.
Thanks Jake and Nate!
Applications accepted for our Summer Intern Programs in February!
Page 6
Discover the past…
Harrison County Historical Village
& Iowa Welcome Center
Freedom Rock
By Kathy Dirks, Village/Welcome Center Coordinator
First, HCCB was fortunate enough to receive a Harrison County Community Foundation grant last
spring to replace the retaining wall along our parking lot. The railroad ties placed when the main building
was built 25 years ago were starting to show their age. Dennis Kerger from Woodbine installed our new
stone retaining wall this summer and it should stabilize our three heat pumps and propane tank for many,
many years to come. Plans are to add native wildflowers to the flower bed next spring to give it some color
and assist with visitor education. We thank the Harrison County Community Foundation for the grant as
the project could not have been completed without their assistance.
Our second addition won’t be happening for a few years. We are excited to announce the Harrison
County Welcome Center is the location for the Harrison County Freedom Rock!
Ray “Bubba” Sorenson from Greenfield, Iowa painter of the original Freedom
Rock on Hwy. 25 south of Interstate 80, came up with the idea to have Freedom
Rocks in every county to thank our Veterans and tell the story of their service.
Since Ray can only paint so many rocks a year, our rock is currently scheduled to
be completed in 2018. For information on the Freedom Rock 99 County Tour,
please go to www.thefreedomrock.com.
To keep up on all the latest happenings and developments at the village/
welcome center, like “Harrison County Iowa Welcome Center on Facebook, or
give us a call at 712-642-2114. Better yet, stop in and visit us as we always love
company!
Harrison County Historical Village &
Iowa Welcome Center
2931 Monroe Avenue
Missouri Valley, Iowa 51555
712-642-2114
[email protected]
Hours 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Monday-Saturday
12-5 p.m. on Sunday
Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas,
New Year’s Day, and Easter
Harrison County Village/Welcome Center
20% OFF
Gift Shop/Iowa Products Store
Not to be combined with other discounts!
(Excludes Iowa-made wines and
Loess Hills Lavender products)
October-March 2014/2015 Coupon
Historical Village open April-November
Shop the Products Store for great holiday gift ideas!
Page 7
Harrison County Conservation Board
2725 Easton Trail
Woodbine, Iowa 51579
712-647-2785
[email protected]
www.HarrisonCountyParks.org
Reserve cabins online soon!
Harrison County Conservation Board is excited to announce that reservations for the
cabins at Willow Lake Recreation Area will soon be online!
Starting January 5, 2015, you can visit our website at HarrisonCountyParks.org and be
directed to our page on MyCountyParks.com.
But first, you must create an account.
Simply click on the Register Now! tab at the top right of website and enter your
information. On the Harrison County page, you can click on the Cabins tab to see outside
and inside pictures of all six cabins and what amenities are inside the cabin or what you
will want to bring for your stay.
To reserve a cabin just follow the prompts on the cabin of your choice and you will be on
your way to a unique adventure at Willow Lake!
Board Members
Danelle Myer, President, Logan
Pete Ryerson, Vice President, Woodbine
Dean McIntosh, Secretary, Missouri Valley
Kris Pauley, Woodbine
Kim Nunez, Mondamin
Staff
Scott Nelson, Director
Laura Hansen, Administrative Assistant
Byron Vennink, Operations Supervisor/Ranger
Mike Weis, Park Ranger
Gary Barrineau, Conservation Technician
Thad Pothast, Natural Resource Technician
Connie Betts, Naturalist/Information Specialist
Kathy Dirks, Village/Welcome Center Coordinator
Gary Wenninghoff, Grounds Keeper/Custodian
Contact
[email protected]
www.HarrisonCountyParks.org
www.MyCountyParks.com
Facebook: Harrison County Conservation Board
Harrison County Conservation Board
The Harrison County Conservation Board meets on
the first Monday of each month at 7 p.m. at the
Willow Lake Recreation Area Headquarters Office,
2725 Easton Trail, Woodbine, Iowa (unless otherwise advertised). The meetings are open to the public and visitors are welcome.
Vision
To enrich the quality of life for all Harrison County
residents and visitors by preserving and protecting
the county’s natural areas, educating the public
about the importance of conserving the county’s
natural resources, and providing access to natural
resource-based recreational opportunities.
Mission
To provide, develop, and maintain facilities and
programs that will enable county residents and
visitors to understand, appreciate, and enjoy
Harrison County’s natural environment and
encourage them to preserve it.
DISCOVER. LEARN. ENJOY.